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THE 34TH INAUGURAL LECTURE

The Ayim Pius Ayim auditorium was full to the brim with faculty, staff and students to grace the occasion of the 34th inaugural lecture delivered by Professor Emmanuel Chukwunyere Nzegbule of the college of Natural resources and environmental management, Micheal Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.

The sophomore Lecture from the college centered on the topic “Many parts, yet one earth: Agricultural System cannot be an island”. It had in attendance various dignitaries from all walks life including Deputy vice chancellor, Academics cum first female professor of Statistics, Professor Joy Chioma Nwabueze, Vice Chancellors Rhema University, Federal University of Ikwo, Professor Osie Onwudike and Professor Chinedu Nwajuba respectively as well as chairman UBA group, Mr Tony Udenze, provost Abia state college of education, Dr. Ntoo and a host of others.

The programme which started in due time commenced with an opening address by the prestigious host vice chancellor, Professor Francis O. Otunta after being introduced by the registrar, Mrs. Jacinta Ogwu Ogu. He welcomed every individual present and craved their indulgence to listen attentively to the lecture.

The citation was carefully read by the university orator, Professor Ijeh Irene; the lecturer who currently serves as the dean, college of Natural resources and environmental management is a professor of international repute and have contributed to over 52 international and local journals and serves as a consultant to diverse organization within and outside the country.

Inaugural lecture is a kind of academic harvest that serves as a peak of attainment of any academic journey, the lecturer while delivering his masterpiece divided his talk into segments. They include:

In his preamble, the lecturer elaborated on the ecosystem; he revealed that the characteristics of the ecosystem are going sway as a result of human activities on the environment as they upset its balance. He stressed that the sun, earth and water and other constituents’ interaction were necessary for human survival.

He also enlightened the audience on some forest food resources which aid soil fertility through their litters capable of containing numerous mineral elements.

The lecturer by virtue of being an academia has various achievements which amongst others include rebuilding of the main rural market at owerrinta, creaing alternative livlehood for people in Akwere, drainage construction and tree planting at an erosion site in Abariba and construction of health centre at Umuode to increase infrastructure.

In his recommendations, the lecturer called on farmers to practice sustainable farming as he described a win-win scenario of having a sustainable environment and agricultural system making reference to works. He proffered that researchers should focus more on optimizing production system so humans and the environment can mutually benefit. He also called on policy makers and other government strata to appreciate the fact that climate change is real.

Whilst concluding his lecture, he gave a beautiful illustration of a bicycle rider carrying his wife on the bicycle, the bicycle which he likened to our ecosystem can carry absolutely anything but could be stressed due to varied activities hence the need to recognize and explore its capacity considerably so we don’t damage it beyond repair.

The lecturer also thrilled his class with the use of the scriptures from the book 1Corinthians 12: 16-17&24-25 which says “And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body, is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling…, God composed the body, that there should be no schism in the body, but that members should have the same care for one another.

He acknowledged everyone who have contributed directly and indirectly to his success including his family, vice chancellor, staff and students of college of Natural resources and environmental management.

The highlight of the event was presentation of gift from the department, staff and former Post graduate students who graduated through him.